While eating poop is a disgusting habit, it is quite common in dogs (cats rarely develop this habit). Here are some theories behind why dogs eat poop, but keep in mind that there’s no substantial proof either way for any of these theories. Some experts believe that dogs learn this behavior from a mother when she cleans up after her pups by eating their feces. Most experts agree that because there’s no substantial evidence for exactly why dogs eat poop, you may need to speak with your Vet or an animal behavior specialist to find the right solution. Spray the dog with water or whatever method you’ve developed for punishment if you catch your dog in the act. Keep in mind that if your dog is doing it for attention, verbal scolding may be misunderstood as interaction or rewarding him for the behavior.
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Coprophagia is the medical term for when a dog eats its own or another animal’s feces. A dog’s stomach and mouth have the ability to fight off a lot more bacteria than you can, but too much can still make them sick. Knowing why your pet is doing this will help you put a stop to coprophagia quickly and effectively. Although coprophagia is almost always behaviorally based, there can be medical reasons that contribute to or spark the behaviour. Naturvet Coprophagia Deterrent includes a number of ingredients to prevent your dog from eating feces, one of which works by making your pet’s own feces taste bad.
If you believe your pet’s coprophagia to be a result of stress, attempt to remove the source of anxiety or lessen it. In the case of multi-pet homes, some dogs will only eat the feces of their other furry housemates. Digging through litter boxes or taking a nibble of their sibling’s droppings is quite common. Remember: yes, coprophagia is disgusting to us, but dogs are just doing what comes naturally to them. Like human babies, puppies have a tendency to put everything in their mouths – provide (more hygienic) outlets for chewing. Animal behaviorists and veterinarians aren’t exactly sure what causes dogs to eat poop, but there are numerous theories. A parasitic infection must also be ruled out; this requires a fecal sample from your dog, which the vet will test and examine. If the issue is purely behavioral, your vet may recommend a variety of dog training classes and at-home modifications. Behavioral modifications also apply to pet parents, who may actually be worsening the coprophagia. Before dogs were domesticated they were scavengers, living off of whatever they could find.
In certain situations, as with a newborn litter of puppies, eating poop is instinctual and completely normal.
For households with multiple dogs there is often a pecking order of dominant and submissive roles. Another, rather interesting phenomenon is when multiple dogs are in the same household and one gets sick, the healthy dog will sometimes eat the feces of the unhealthy dog.
There is also evidence that dogs that aren’t getting enough of certain nutrients will resort to eating poop. Add a spoon (teaspoon or tablespoon depending on the dog's size) of canned pineapple, pineapple juice or spinach to the dog's food.
Poop-eating behavior also has evolved as a protective mechanism, ensuring the pack’s survival.
Keep in mind that your dog can become ill from eating poop because it can carry parasites such as giardia and Coccidia. Dogs eating poop may have developed as part of their evolution or for nutritional purposes; in addition, there are behavioral reasons. Just a side note: if you have a dog that eats its own poop, you can try feeding it pineapple. ABOUT THE AUTHORLynn AlbrowLynn Albrow has two dogs, both Canine Good Citizens and (TDI) Therapy Dog International certified: Lola, a Mcnab (Border Collie Cattle dog mix) and Cole, a Border Lab. Dogs are a man's best friend, but they do like to exhibit strange behaviour every now and then.
If your pet is forever chowing down on its own poop it could be a medical problem caused by gastrointestinal parasites. And get this, although no hard evidence exists dogs whiskers, potentially at least, are what seems to give them that sixth sense. A dog's pant sends cool air over the tongue and into the lungs, which contributes to cooling the entire body and in turn transfers heat out into the atmosphere. Puppies that learn this behavior usually outgrow it once they realize that it doesn’t taste good, but some dogs continue to do this as they get older. In the wild, animals often eat the feces of other animals, particularly herbivores like rabbits, as their feces has a high concentration of excess vitamins and minerals that dogs may feel are missing or deficient in their diet. If your pet is losing weight, they may have a nutrient malabsorption issue which may encourage them to eat feces.

Coprophagia treatments can still be effective for pets with anxiety, but treating the condition without treating the cause is usually not effective long-term.
If this is the case, treating him with coprophagia tablets alone may not alter his behaviour. In puppies, this is often a sign of sibling rivalry and they usually outgrow the behaviour with time. Dogs may seek out feces to supplement their diet, looking for nutrients in undigested food remnants. Low levels of vitamin B-complex and vitamin K have been associated with dogs eating their own poop, but this has not been proven. It’s important to distinguish if the coprophagia is a behavioral or medical issue, as that determines the course of treatment. Buy or prepare only nutritious, quality food that is formulated for the dog's age, breed and any medical issues.
This will convey the idea that it is more rewarding to attend to you than to attend to poop. A designated pack member will hide the scent of a weak or sick animal by eating its excrement, eliminating any smells of weakness. She eats the remnants of birth and will lick the newborn’s anus to stimulate the bowel process. If it sits around for a few weeks, roundworm and whipworm have been known to populate poop. Allelomimetic behavior is the act of doing the same as others—basically copying a behavior. You might say some dogs have a sort of “refined taste.” We may not understand why dogs want to eat poo, but they do. A theory that does hold true to a degree is that dogs will deliberately eat grass to throw-up in an effort to quell an upset stomach.
It might not be as vital and therefore as sophisticated as wolves' interactions, but it's the same trait at its root. Yup, they might look cute and contribute to that little ol' man face you love so much, but they serve a very important purpose.
It might not actually be a sixth sense as such, because it's touch, but their whiskers might allow them to pick up on all manner of things outside our own abilities as the air moves around them. Obviously there's the post bath shake, which helps them dry off, but drenches you, but were more concerned with the trembling type of shaking. Obviously these signals are somewhat more subtle between dogs, but even as humans we can tell the mood of dog by its tail. After relieving himself, your dog suddenly turns around and eats his own poop, or maybe he finds the feces of another animal to snack on as heads back inside. It’s called, “coprophagy,” and it is a specific type of “pica,” which refers to eating any non-food items. This may not be the reason your dog is eating animal waste, so it’s important to go over this behavior with your Vet and decide together how to deal with it. Eating fecal matter is not only stomach turning, but it’s unhealthy for pets and their pet families. This is a natural instinct for dogs; it is often taught to them by their mothers at a very young age. Consider a stress-reducing treatment alongside your dog’s coprophagia treatment to prevent your dog from falling back onto the same coping mechanism. Mother dogs need to assist very young puppies who haven’t developed the defecation reflex and also practice coprophagia for cleanliness and to keep pups safe from predators. The most common parasite in dogs is the roundworm, which is spread through the ingestion of feces containing roundworm larvae.
Manufacturers say it is nontoxic for cats, but they don’t put a warning label on the box about consumption by dogs. Dogs aren't actually carnivores, not historically; they're omnivores, scavengers essentially.
It's a passive statement that indicates the dog is feeling anxious, but not in a way that might result in conflict. Vibrissae to give them their proper name are overloaded with sensitivity regarding touch, making them a vital part of how your dog perceives with the world around it. And this happens reasonably regularly due to the fact they have a huge furry coat keeping them warm, even at the height of summer. To a lesser degree though it is also able to help them swim, keep warm and even swat the odd fly. General pica can be dangerous if your dog gets into something toxic, such as human medicine or poisons, but eating feces typically does not harm your pet, unless the fecal matter is tainted with a parasite. That’s why it is important that you take the correct steps to change the behavior (see bulleted list below). If the dog pooped in the house, he may eat it to try to hide the evidence; this is another reason that rubbing your dog’s nose in poop to “teach him a lesson” is never a good approach. Vitamin injections or dietary supplements may be prescribed for your pet, or you may be encouraged to monitor their diet.
Also, visit the vet to see if a medical condition is the underlying cause of the dog eliminating indoors. Herein lies the problem: the cat litter molecules (or clay) are absorbent, soaking up water.

This means a bit of grass, along with fruit and berries, is always a welcome addition to the menu. However if the trembling lasts it could be a sign of illness, especially if it coincides with other symptoms such as vomiting, lethargy, limping or diarrhoea.
Naturvet Coprophagia Deterrent tablets also contain a number of vitamins, minerals, and probiotics to boost the immune system, metabolism, and aid the digestive system in breaking down food and acquiring nutrients. Many infected pets have no outward signs, only developing symptoms as the parasite continues to reproduce internally. However, also realize that pups can't physically hold their elimination for more than one to three hours, and that it is not healthy or kind to crate adult dogs for more than 5 to 6 hours a day. In some cases, a brood bitch (a female dog kept for breeding purposes) will continue this process throughout her life, regardless of how old the puppies are. When the kitty roca is swallowed, the dog’s intestines, mostly liquid, will combine with the cat litter to form a cement-like substance. They probably do it for many of the same reasons they eat other nonfood items (a disorder known as pica).
The only time it's acceptable is in the wild when mothers will eat their pups poop to cover their scent.
Filling these nutritional gaps ensures your dog won’t attempt to find these necessary nutrients himself. For example, tell her to 'Sit', reward her for listening, then proceed to an enjoyable activity such as playing or walking together. Take the time to properly train your dog so that he can be left alone in the house, in a pet-safe area instead of confined in a crate. The hard blob subsequently will stop any normal passage of feces, blocking the flow of digestion. Usually puppies will start to eat feces at a young age, but tend to grow out of this normal behavior. Surgeries involving the gut with the removal of intestines can lead to a lack of nutrients being absorbed, which can cause malabsorption and coprophagia. InstinctMama dogs instinctively eat the feces of their pups in an apparent attempt to clean up the den and hide evidence of their vulnerable offspring (and you thought changing stinky diapers was a sacrifice).
Eating the feces of other species is also considered a natural behavior.Malnutrition or Food Driven. A dog who is starving or not getting the proper nutrition from their daily diet may eat anything it comes across.
We would like to think of our pets as humans, but dogs will be dogs and will continue to exhibit dog behavior, no matter how domesticated they are. Some dogs, however even though well-nourished, are constantly hungry and will still eat anything they come across. If a dog is plagued with parasites or problems that cause maldigestion or malabsorption, they may eat poop. A sickness that changes the consistency or smell of the stool also might make a dog want to eat his own stool. If your dog has no history of eating feces, but starts to do it out of nowhere you should take your dog to the veterinarian for an exam.Anxiety, Fear and Stress. The typical example is the neglected outdoor dog who barks and barks until his owner comes out to scold him.
The same could happen with dogs who realize they can get a rise out of their owners by eating poop. Some dog behavior experts claim that other psychological issues or general stress could trigger the behavior as well.4. However, if a dog is punished for going to the bathroom in the house or any other situation related to feces, he or she may associate the punishment with the presence of feces. They Really Like It!Some dogs eat their own poop, while others eat the poop of other dogs exclusively. Many dog owners get very upset when their dog eats poop…which means he is getting the attention he desires. The reason would be the same one that makes crate training so successful: dogs avoid soiling their nests. It generally doesn’t cause any health problems either, unless the dog eats the stool of a sick animal. Once they start to think of poop as food, it can be a challenge to train them not to partake.One strategy is to create an aversion to poop by dousing it in lemon juice, hot sauce, or some other substance the dog finds unpalatable. However, this doesn’t work with a lot of dogs, who are either unfazed by the new flavor or learn to avoid the doctored turds. A better method is to add something to the dog’s food that changes the flavor of his stool. However, your dog is better at finding feces than you are and will probably get in a few bites before you notice and stop them.Prevent Access To PoopControl their environment. After, lure them away with something tasty before they even have a chance to go for the stool. Result: poop snacking is on what’s technically called a variable intermittent reinforcement schedule, which is what trainers use when they want to create an extremely persistent, durable behavior.